Meta says Muse can fill out forms and monitor home security camera feeds. It can also book appointments. If users do not want their interactions used to train Meta’s models, they have to opt out.
That choice is part of the product story because Muse is meant to handle personal tasks.
Muse’s Personal Tasks Come With a Data Choice
Meta plans a free tier and monthly plans of $20 or $100, depending on usage. Muse will be available to U.S. consumers on iOS, Android, and the web. Access through Ray-Ban Meta glasses is planned for later. The WhatsApp version will have fewer features.
Meta describes safeguards for the tasks Muse handles. A company representative says the agent runs in an isolated environment, cannot see passwords or payment details, and asks before sensitive actions.
For users who do not opt out, Meta says it will scrub critical personally identifying information before using their interactions for training. The safeguards matter, but users still have to make a choice about whether those interactions can be used.
Meta is also exploring a cut of shopping transactions made through agents. It has no concrete plan for that yet.
Strong Results Can Still Leave a Question
Shopify’s Q3 revenue came in at $3.74B, just below the $3.75B estimate. The rest of the quarter looked stronger.
Earnings per share were $0.49 against an estimated $0.46. Free cash flow was $816M against $721M. Gross merchandise volume was $119.2B against $118.7B.
Shopify then guided to +32% Q4 revenue growth, above the +30% estimate. The revenue miss was small, while cash flow and the growth guide beat expectations.
An earnings beat did not settle the concern around Apple. Reuters reported that its shares fell despite a beat because investors focused on margin pressure.
Palantir’s numbers show a different gap. One commentator says its shares fell 9% before the market opened as U.S. commercial contract growth dropped from 153% to 11% in one quarter. The same account reports 96% revenue growth, an estimates beat, and higher full-year guidance.
Revenue grew quickly, but the contract measure slowed sharply. The commentator argues that a valuation above 150x earnings leaves little room for slower growth. A follow-up from that account attributes the weaker contract measure to Palantir’s Sovereign AI initiative. That explanation sits alongside the reported gap between the two growth numbers.
Election Moves and Rate Calls Point in Different Directions
After early Democratic victories, S&P 500 futures fell 0.15%, Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.21%, and the U.S. dollar fell.
One market commentator argues that election uncertainty explains recent weakness. The commentator points to an average +14% S&P 500 gain in the 12 months after U.S. midterm elections since 1980. The figures cited are +15% after divided-government outcomes and +12% under single-party control.
That is the commentator’s historical case for optimism. The immediate move after the early results went the other way.
There was no single call on rates, either. President Donald Trump renewed a threat to stop trading with countries with which the U.S. has a deficit unless the Fed cuts rates. He called for 1 percent or a half a percent instead of 4 percent. Vice President JD Vance called for lower rates, while National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said the case for holding steady was strong.
FxPro raises another risk for tech shares. It warns that Democrats may tighten AI regulation and argues that this could put more pressure on tech shares and the dollar. That is a possible policy change, not one already made.
Power Demand Brings Spending and Debt Into View
For Generac, one stock commentator says data center demand for backup power offset weaker residential demand. The commentator cites a $1.6 billion backlog, expected 30% industrial segment growth, contracts with Amazon and another hyperscaler, and heavy investment in capacity.
The demand is there in the commentator’s account. So is the spending needed to expand capacity.
The same commentator’s Pinnacle West assessment raises an investment question. It cites a 3.49% dividend yield, a P ratio of 20, and projected annual growth of 5 to 6% through 2030. The commentator says Pinnacle West plans to invest 10 billion over four years and points to its existing debt.
Other calls turn on uncertainty or price. The commentator finds Solventum’s cash flow low relative to earnings per share and says its possible health information systems spin-off makes the situation too hard to assess. For EchoStar, the commentator says a 23 billion spectrum sale to AT&T eliminates debt, but also holds the opinion that SpaceX, in which EchoStar has a 2% stake, could eventually be worth zero. The commentator questions Gen Digital’s plan to buy GoDaddy while carrying 8 billion in debt at high rates.
Fidelity’s retirement figures offer a different view of balances and contributions. It reports that the average 401(k) balance rose 10.5% from March through June, the biggest quarterly increase since 2020. Average contributions, including employer contributions, reached 14.4% of pay.
The article’s starting-age example is hypothetical. Assuming a 7% return, investing $250 a month from age 22 produces about $953,680 by age 67. Starting at 40 with the same monthly amount produces $240,672 by age 67. Those are outcomes under the article’s assumption, not reported account balances.